


Changing Plans

by SevenCorvus



Category: Dead Zone
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Het, M/M, Slash, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 16:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1095911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SevenCorvus/pseuds/SevenCorvus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Walt hadn’t wanted to like John Smith. He was a threat in some ways to everything that Walt held dear, and he had not wanted to feel anything for him, to care about him. But then things had a way of changing plans when Johnny was involved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changing Plans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jackycomelately](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackycomelately/gifts).



Walt hadn’t wanted to like John Smith. He was a threat in some ways to everything that Walt held dear, and he had not wanted to feel anything for him, to care about him. But then things had a way of changing plans when Johnny was involved. He couldn’t help but admire the guy, the way he kept going after everything that happened, trying to do the right thing. Walt wasn’t so sure that he’d be that strong, that understanding in Johnny’s place. And they worked well together, that was the thing, in spite of all the baggage that lay between them; they made a hell of a team.

The Sheriff knew what had happened between Sarah and Johnny, and while Johnny seemed to give every indication that it was a one time thing, it was clear that the two of them were still in love. Walt might have felt like an intruder, like he was taking Johnny’s place, and part of him said that he should step aside, that he should right whatever wrongs the accident might have caused, but this was his family now, and he wasn’t willing to give it up without a fight.

Things carried on the way they had been; solving cases with Johnny’s help, inviting him over for the occasional family dinner, and everything seemed to be ok. Yet Walt wasn’t the Sheriff for nothing, he could see Johnny’s loneliness, the burdens that seemed to wear him down, alleviated only by Bruce or Sarah or J.J.’s presence. He hadn’t wanted to like John Smith, but he did, he worried about him alone in that big empty house of his, dealing with the after affects of terrible visions. 

Walt wasn’t the type to let fear paralyze him, he knew he had to make a decision, and accept the risks that went along with it. And really in the end it hadn’t been as difficult as he thought it would be to give Sarah and Johnny his blessings, after all, they shared a son, why not a lover as well? And better to take this chance, to try and have everything, than Sarah choosing Johnny over him and losing it all.

He figured Johnny would come to more family dinners, and Sarah would spend more time alone with him, and that would be that, he didn’t expect that he would spend more time with the psychic himself. Yet Walt found himself hanging out with him, watching a game, or sharing stories from their past, stories about Sarah and J.J., but other things as well. The Sheriff found himself enjoying it, beginning to feel that Johnny was more like a friend, like family.

So maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to him the first time he pushed Johnny against the wall of his office and claimed his mouth hungrily, adrenaline riding high after the psychic’s latest close call. Johnny was family now, was his, and he wasn’t about to let anything happen to the other man, even if he had to drill it through his head that he was not expendable. Walt admitted rather guiltily to himself that he had thought about what it would be like if Johnny had never woken up, if Johnny was gone, but things had changed, everything had changed, and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing the other man, losing the family that they had made with Sarah and J.J.

Walt had driven Johnny home that night, the psychic slightly shaken, and helped him up the stairs and to his bedroom. He had pushed Johnny onto the bed, knelt down to take off his shoes, then slid into the bed himself, pulling the other man into his arms. He needed Johnny where he could see him, where he could reach him and reassure himself he was ok. 

Things were a little weird after that, Johnny pretending that nothing had happened, while Walt had a mild freak out before accepting that he had another love in his heart and that was that. He talked it over with Sarah, who was surprised, and then somewhat amused, as if of course he would fall in love with Johnny, though to be fair Walt had realized that they might have been dating for a while now unaware. He knew better than to say anything to Johnny right away, the psychic could be skittish at times, but he was patient and formulated a plan of attack.

The Sheriff calmly continued their meet ups, bringing pizza and beer with him, daring Johnny to turn him away. He kept the conversation light, talking about the game or recent cases, while he did he best to brush against Johnny casually, projecting whatever positive emotions and memories he could. It seemed to relax the other man, who visibly lost tension as the night went on. 

Walt stuck with that routine, stopping by periodically, working on cases with Johnny, and things stayed the same. Except now he was more likely to ask how Johnny was doing and make sure he told the truth. He stuck closer to the psychic when they worked, especially when Johnny’s leg was bothering him. The Sheriff worried after him, wanting to take of him, to comfort him. He thought more than once of asking Johnny to move in with them, but he knew that the other man needed his space some times, needed a place to go when he got overwhelmed.

Besides, Johnny knew that their house was always open to him, that he could call at any time. It took a long time for the psychic to believe that, a long time for him to accept that Sarah wasn’t going to pull away again, taking J.J. with her, that Walt wasn’t going anywhere, that their family unit would stand strong against anything that might come their way. It took a long time, but Walt was patient, and Johnny was worth it, was worth the wait and the effort. 

It still surprised Walt sometimes, the position he was in now, but with Johnny you had to get used to the unexpected. And when they finally made it back to the bedroom, ending up in bed without clothes this time, Johnny laid out underneath him, those pretty blue eyes growing dazed with pleasure and affection; Walt knew that he wouldn’t want it any other way.


End file.
